Boss and Shaundi Make a Movie
by saintsboss
Summary: When Gangstas in Space is temporarily halted in favor of another movie, Boss, Shaundi and, Viola are asked to star in a romantic action film. However, there's a catch involved that might tear or bring Boss and Shaundi together. Male Boss used. *Inspired by the movie Zack and Miri Makes a Porno* (Post Saints Row: TT ending)
1. Chapter 1

The Saints were celebrating on top of their Steelport Penthouse. The Boss arranged for every form of debauchery and vice to be present in his party. You could smell the aroma of expensive alcohol lurking in the air. The rhythmic sound of party goers sniffing their powder and lighting their bongs can be heard in the far corners of the penthouse. Strippers were everywhere. Sliding on poles, dancing on someone's lap, jumping out of cakes, and using their bodies to consume shots.

Normally, Pierce would have taken care of all of this but he wasn't sure whether the Boss would be in the mood for it. Killbane escaped and he was sure that their leader won't exactly label that as a victory. Pierce knows that the Boss would do anything for his crew, but his lust for power and ambition can overrule that loyalty at times. However, The Saints will follow their leader to hell and back regardless if he truly saw them as pawns or friends. He inspired an unwavering yet irrational loyalty.

The Boss surprised them by throwing this party, but he never mentioned what for. He never said anything about Killbane after saving Shaundi. When someone brought it up, he would change the topic and pretended not to hear it at all. Perhaps, the Boss was trying to hide the fact he had a heart or was just in complete denial over letting Killbane go. They knew it wasn't a subject worth pressing.

The Saints now own Stilwater and Steelport. That's where they're at and that was the end of it. Nothing more. All the Boss wanted to do was have a good time at this party and that's what he did.

"Faster, faster" A woman cried between moans as she held the porcelain sink inside the bathroom of the Saints' penthouse. She was bent over, and her blonde hair was all over her face as the Boss thrust himself inside her hastily and forcefully.

She winced in pain but the Boss didn't pay attention to how she felt at all.

She was fighting to take over, but he wouldn't let her. He loved how he made women want to be his 'bitch' as he calls it. He would make them want him and when they've reached their peak, he'll stop until they beg him to continue.

He never forced himself into a woman against her will. The Boss was a lot of things, but he has his limits. It was a fetish he liked to indulge in and most of these women were happy to oblige because they took pleasure in it too.

_Everything in the world is about sex except sex. Sex is about power._

The Boss thought about this phrase as he held this woman down, giving her no sense of control over the situation. He didn't even know that it was a famous line from Oscar Wilde. Hell, he only saw it on the internet to be honest.

He looked at his reflection in the mirror behind the sink the woman was holding onto. He bit his lip as he admired his physique and disarming good looks. His short hazel brown hair was styled and cut from the most expensive salons in the world. His goatee started growing on his chin and faint traces of it started to appear above his upper lip. He made a mental note to take care of that after the party.

"Oh D-" the woman was about to say his name as she thrust her hips towards his length to heighten the pleasure.

"Don't you fucking say my name." The Boss covered her mouth before she could say it. He felt her head nod as his palm covered her mouth.

Not long after they finished, and the Boss zipped up his pants and buckled his belt. The woman leaned in towards him for a kiss, but he shoves her away.

"Out" he says.

"Come on, don't be like that." she flirtatiously insisted.

Boss shakes his head and opens the door. He motions his head towards it.

"Asshole" the woman whispers under her breath on the way out.

Boss soon follows right after gussying himself up. He closes the bathroom door behind him and looks up only to see Shaundi shaking her head with a slight smile across the room. She was leaning in front of the bar passively listening to some guy trying to impress her. The Boss smiled back at her before walking away.

"_Typical boss" _she thought to herself amusingly.

"Did I say something funny?" The guy beside her asked, wondering why she'd laugh and smile as he tried to impress her with his job as a Steelport stockbroker. Poor guy, he was only in the party because of a friend. He was nobody. Truth is Shaundi was only talking to the guy to get some insider information for the Saints.

"It's nothing, go on…" Shaundi snapped out of her thoughts momentarily, pretending to listen once more.

"As I was saying, stocks are very volatile…" was the last thing she heard before going back to her thoughts. She got all the information she needed from him. She just stayed to indulge the guy and out of pity.

Shaundi watched the Boss make his way around the party. He acted like they didn't go through hell the past few months. Almost like he didn't care, but Shaundi knew that wasn't true. He saved her instead of going after Killbane. He had also saved her from Veteran Child and Ultor's thugs in the past. He refused to let her go with him to fight Mr. Sunshine because he was concerned for her safety.

"_I never leave my crew to die" _was all he had to say about it. Shaundi remembered it very well as she often had to recount the experience to the crew who was in awe over their leader's heroic deed.

He could have just left her there and expect that she'd get herself out alive with Viola. That's what he did with Gat. Did he do it for his ego? Was it because of his guilt leaving Johnny behind? There were a ton of explanations that ran through her head but she couldn't find the right one. The Boss was hard to read.

Shaundi felt a pang of guilt within her chest as she remembered accusing Boss of not caring when Johnny died. It was a lie, but she said it anyway because she was angry and upset. If the Boss acted out like she did, the Saints would have fallen apart. This was why he was their leader. He was what everyone, including herself, needed to stay strong and fight to where they are now.

Shaundi gave up on decoding Boss. She knew it was a task that would take forever to finish. Consequently, she grabbed a shot of tequila and enjoyed the night away. Johnny is dead, but she was alive and the Saints were stronger than ever. She's still grateful for that.

Hours later the party died down. Some of the guests went home, while some lay wasted around the penthouse. Kinzie and Oleg left early to work on a 'project' the former has been working on. Angel wasn't there at all. They weren't surprised at all that he wasn't there. After all, the Saints let Killbane escape. Zimos was somewhere in upper floor buried beneath a pile of hoes.

Pierce, Viola, Shaundi, and the Boss were the only ones left standing. The two girls and the Boss were lounging on a couch outside near the jacuzzi. The two women barely spoke to one another. There was still some bad blood left. Boss did most of the talking and it was as if the girls existed in two separate dimensions. Pierce was on the phone for quite a while, and the Boss started to wonder who he was talking to at this time of the hour.

"Who the fuck you talking to Pierce?" The Boss asked as he lit a cigar.

"Those movie studio big wigs"

"And?"

"They're holding off producing Gangstas in Space."

"Those assholes. We made a deal with them." Shaundi added in.

"Well, I think a shakedown is in order." The Boss smiled mischievously.

"I'm in." Viola nodded in agreement.

"Hold up ya'll. They're still going to do it, but they want us to do this one film first." Piece quickly chimed in to calm them down.

"If it involves blowing shit up then, I'm listening." Boss replied.

"Not exactly. They want to make a movie with you, Shaundi, and Viola in some sort of love triangle action movie shit."

"What?!" The two women said in unison.

"Two women fighting over me? I like it. Go on Pierce…" Boss was clearly enjoying this.

"The fellas said that ever since you saved our girls, people kind of saw you as this romantic hero or some shit."

"I knew it." Viola sighed.

"Knew what exactly?" Shaundi asked, annoyed she had to ask Viola.

"Kinzie told me that there's been a surge of fan fiction and YouTube videos online about the three of us ever since that monument incident."

"Well, what can I say? I'm a hero. Chicks and moms dig that crap. Maybe you can ask them to make a film called 50 Shades of Shaundi too." Boss confidently said. Shaundi gasped and kicked Boss in the leg.

"So, are we going to do it?" Pierce asked looking at the other three.

"This will definitely boost Boss' already massive ego, but what the hell? It's only a movie." Shaundi reluctantly agreed.

"Let's do it. Two movies is better than one." Boss agreed and Viola followed as well.

"Cool, cool." Piece said as he bit his lip. It was obvious that there was something more that he wasn't saying.

"Fuck Pierce, what now? Just go ahead and say it." The Boss added impatiently.

"Alright alright… jeez!" Pierce replied before taking a few seconds to catch his breath and add "They want you guys to do a sex scene."

"Earth to Pierce, we know that movies have sex scenes." Viola rolled her eyes.

"No! They want you guys to do the real thing." Pierce said in a rush.

"Hold up, are you sure this isn't porn?" Shaundi asked with disbelief.

"It's not. The guys said the director is some pretentious dummy who only uses real sex scenes. Some high art shit I'd never understand."

"I'm down. I didn't moonlight as Sasha Grey for nothing during college." Viola playfully added.

"Wait, that was you?! I knew you were familiar." Boss asked in a shocked yet impressed tone. Viola winked in reply.

"Am I the only one who has a problem with this?" Shaundi interrupted.

"What's wrong Shaundi? We both enjoy sex and you've fucked a lot of men." The Boss argued before adding "No offense" a few seconds later.

"None taken, Boss." Shaundi replied feeling uneasy about this whole thing. Sure, she's no prude or anything but this wasn't just some guy. This was her Boss. "It just feels so unprofessional and weird." she added.

"Since when have we been professional Shaundi?" Boss retorted.

"Look, I don't want to do it okay? Just do it with Viola." Shaundi stood up and walked towards the penthouse.

"You know, they won't do it without Shaundi Boss." Pierce looked at Boss.

"I'll talk to her." Boss stood up and followed Shaundi momentarily, leaving Piece and Viola behind.

"So, you're saying no one would want to watch a movie with just me in it?" Viola raised her eyebrow as she probed Pierce.

"Aww shit, I'm just the messenger lady." The Boss overheard Pierce say from a distance as the two crewmembers started to argue. He tried to suppress his laughter knowing Viola would destroy Pierce. However, that started to fade as he walked closer towards the room Shaundi stormed into.

He didn't know why she was so upset since Shaundi's been with a lot of guys before. What made him so different? It's not like they're going to fall in love or anything. Funny how that thought unexpectedly left a smile on his face. He quickly wiped it off his face and cursed himself for being slightly excited by the idea.

He took a deep breath and held his fist up to knock. However, the door opened before he could do so. Shaundi was on her way out and wasn't expecting him to be there either. They were both shocked as their faces were only a few inches away from each other. The Boss was shocked to see what was coming next.


	2. Chapter 2

_Authors Note: Thanks for reading my fic! I just had this idea in my head and wanted to give it a go. If you enjoy it, I encourage you to leave feedback because I would love to hear your suggestions and thoughts on this. It'll only make it better!_

In a blink of an eye, Shaundi's palm met Boss's rugged cheek with sheer force. It stung like a bitch. The Boss raised his hand to massage his cheek as if it could numb the burning sensation of Shaundi's fury.

Shaundi scoffed and took a few steps back. Admittedly, she was afraid of what the Boss would do or react. Sometimes when she exerted her power, Boss would happily play along or put her in her place in a humiliating way. "_Fuck," _she thought to herself, but what's done is done. Apologizing now would be a form of weakness and that doesn't usually get a warm reception from Boss. That'll only infuriate him more. Shaundi isn't the type of person who would back down either. She stands her ground. Hopefully, the Boss won't sense the fear lurking beneath her tough facade.

"For a second there, I thought you were going to kiss me but I guess some rough foreplay will do for now." Boss responded in a mockingly playful tone. He had a big smile on his face, knowing that this would really push Shaundi's buttons. He was known for having a misplaced sense of humor no matter how serious or life-threatening the situation was. Shaundi knew this very well. After all, she was free falling thousands of feet from Morningstar's plane and the Boss still had time for jokes. Not to mention letting her go even if he was uncertain that he could catch her again. Normally, this was the type of behavior that'll alienate people but everyone knows that the Boss was far from normal.

"Are you done? Has your ego had its fill?" Shaundi crossed her arms and looked at him intently.

"Come on Shaundi, I'm just fucking with you." Boss coolly replied as he made his way across the bedroom. Shaundi's gaze followed him until he sat down on the edge of her bed. They all lived together in the penthouse. Well, Shaundi and Pierce did along with a handful of Saints who were there from the very beginning. He didn't ask them to and neither did they. Shaundi often threatened to move out because she couldn't handle Boss and Pierce's shenanigans but that was all talk. Like everyone else, the Saints is the only family and home she's ever really known.

"Whatever happened to the old Shaundi and 'good times'?" Boss added in a sentimental tone as he quickly glanced at a photograph standing on top of Shaundi's drawer. It was a photo of him, Gat, Shaundi, and Pierce chilling in Purgatory back in the early days.

"She grew up." Shaundi replied with pride. She was proud of who she is now. A woman who wasn't stoned all the time and who could take charge and stand her own guard. "So do you want to tell me why you're so determined to do this film?" She immediately asked him before he could joke around and change the subject.

"Let's see. My ego? Shitload of Money? Plus, sex with that saucy little minx Viola and the woman everyone wants to sleep with- that's you." Boss teased her as he enumerated these things while counting with his fingers.

"Bullshit." Shaundi responded to his claims swiftly. "You wouldn't need or wait for a movie deal just to try to sleep with me or Viola. You're more of the 'Hey Shaundi, let's fuck' type and you would have done that by now if you really wanted to." she added.

The Boss was impressed by how much Shaundi knew his personality. The only reaction he could muster up in time was a slow whistle as he nodded in agreement to her assessment. He was silent for a few seconds and the skin between his brows wrinkled. A smile escaped Shaundi's lips upon knowing she was spot-on.

"I knew that wasn't it. So why don't you tell-" Shaundi was cut off by the Boss before she could finish what she was trying to say.

"Lock the door and make sure no one's listening." Boss sternly ordered her. She was surprised by the sudden shift of his tone and complied without hesitation.

The Boss took a deep breath before he began to speak. "It's the money. We need it Shaundi." he finally admitted in a neutral tone. He was neither worried nor casual about it. He said it as it is.

"What? We own properties all over Stilwater and Steelport. That's not possible." Shaundi replied with concern as she sat down beside Boss.

"Yeah, well remember when S.T.A.G blew shit up all over the place? It'll take quite some time before we can get anything out of our assets." Boss paused to take a breath before continuing. "Getting it back to its prime and keeping the crew spread out in two big cities cost a lot of fucking dough."

"How do you know all of this?" Shaundi sighed as she asked Boss how he could possibly know something about their finances. He couldn't care any less about how much money they had as long as he could buy whatever he wanted.

"The accountant told me while I was fucking her two days ago. Easiest way to lose a hardon"

Shaundi was about to speak, but she couldn't help but laugh at the Boss' candidness. She knew he was being serious, but sometimes he would say the most random things without intending to be funny.

"What's so funny?" Boss asked her, completely clueless on why Shaundi let out a laugh.

"Nothing." Shaundi tried to hide the smile creeping at the edge of her lips. Sometimes she found his true charm in subtle moments like this when he doesn't even try. Conversely, Boss was amused by her unexpected reaction and he responded with a grin of his own. They held each other's gaze for a few seconds before breaking away.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Shaundi was first to break the silence.

"I'm telling you now. Besides, I didn't want anyone to worry." he replied in a reassuring tone.

Shaundi was tempted to give the Boss an earful about his plan to keep the Saints' financial trouble a secret. She paused for a moment to think of what to say. Her fingertips slowly caressing the temple of her forehead. "At least you told me." she sighed. "Pierce doesn't need to know about this. He would just bitch about it." she added with slight humor in her voice.

"My thoughts exactly." Boss was initially hesitant to tell Shaundi. He hated showing her and the crew that he wasn't in control of the Saints. He was the patriarch who would take care of his family. However, he did feel a lot better telling Shaundi about their problems. Not only did it lift some of the burden off his shoulders, he also knew she was capable and intelligent to handle it. No one else had to know right now. It would only stress the others out and their enemies might eventually find out their weakness.

"So, what's the plan Boss?" Shaundi went straight to business. She hoped that the Boss had other plans to get them out of their troubles besides this ridiculous movie. She was still uneasy about the whole idea of sleeping with the Boss.

Boss raised one brow at her. She knew what the plan was and it was obvious to him that she was just trying to avoid it.

"Seriously?" Shaundi stood up from the bed. "Why can't we just rob a bank? Or extort some protection money?" she asked as she paced back and forth, trying to come up with alternatives.

"And what? Lose some men and waste our resources when a cost free solution is right in front of us?" The Boss shot back as he leaned back a bit. "All we need to do is talk shit and fuck in front of the camera" he added nonchalantly.

His plan made a lot of sense and Shaundi knew it. She was impressed and annoyed at the same time. Impressed because she knew the Boss was the type of guy who would charge first and think later. He may be a spontaneous brute, but he can be intelligent when he wants to be. Annoyed because somehow she knew that this was a plan she would have thought of herself without the 'high art' fucking involved. It was like they traded places. She was suggesting the brash method, while the Boss thought of the prudent alternative. He was always in the mood for violence. She wondered why he decided to forgo his impulsions, but that was a thought for another time. "Fair enough" she finally said after a few seconds contemplating on it.

"So, you'll do it?" Boss asked her as he stood up to walk towards her.

"I will, but you're wrong about one thing you know." Shaundi looked up to meet his eyes. "There is a cost to this." she added.

The Boss was waiting for her to say something, but it looked like she was hesitant to speak. Without thinking, he gently squeezed her arm. "What is it? You know you can tell me." he asked with sincerity.

Shaundi was surprised by his comforting gesture, but she didn't think anything more of it. It was something friends would do. Her loyalty wasn't out of obligation but out of trust and confidence in him. She squeezed his hand softly to return the affection before they both released one another from their touch.

"I don't want to have sex with you because I don't want you to lose your respect for me." Shaundi added as she looked away.

"Lose respect? The fuck does that mean?" the Boss asked with an incredulous expression on his face. He wouldn't expect Shaundi to say something like this especially since she's been with countless of men. "Shaundi? Really? Did you think about this when you were with…" He was about to list some names before she proceeded to interrupt him.

"No, that's because I didn't care jack shit about what they thought of me." Shaundi admitted to him. She didn't care if her past lovers or those protestors thought she was a slut. There were only a few people whose opinion meant a lot to her. One was dead and the other was standing right in front of her. "I worked hard for the Saints so that you could take me seriously," she added and was about to say more. However, she wanted to gauge Boss's reaction before saying more.

The Boss nudged his head forward, urging Shaundi to continue what she was saying. He was intrigued by all of this. He didn't know that she had placed such a high regard for his opinion. She wasn't afraid to challenge the Boss and call him out. Sometimes he'd let his temper get the best of him and meet her halfway but he'd gotten used to it and started to respond playfully as time goes by.

"Back when I always stoned, nobody took me seriously. Hell, I didn't take myself seriously." Shaundi continued.

"That's not true. Pierce was always jealous I brought you with me and gave you more stuff to do." Boss countered her claim.

"Yeah, you respected me as someone who could do your dirty work but not as an equal then," she shot back at him without restraint. He wanted the truth, so she spared no expense dishing it out. "It was only until I decided to get my act together and change myself completely did you and Johnny treat me as an equal. You guys brought me along the big gigs and eventually let me have a say on how things ran."

The Boss didn't know how to react to what she said. Gat had always been his right hand man from the very beginning. It was true that they gave Shaundi more responsibility and footing as she began to assert herself more. They never really spoke about it or made it anything official. It was more of an unspoken vibe that echoed within the Saints. Same thing for his leadership. He and Gat never had to tell the crew that they were in charge because it was something that didn't need to be said.

"What I'm trying to say is, I don't want to be treated as some hoe who bends over just because you say so." Shaundi demanded of Boss as she looked at him dead in the eye. She was well aware of how he behaved sexually. Not that she knew firsthand, but he made no secret of it either. She was afraid that once she lets him take control of her during sex, he would take it away from her completely and she would be that girl in dreadlocks once more.

"Are you some gullible whore with daddy issues?" The Boss couldn't help but laugh as he covered his mouth with a closed fist.

Shaundi was infuriated that he would laugh about this after she had put herself out there like that. She was about to vehemently respond 'no' before Boss continued on.

"No, you're not. You're Shaundi. You're _my_ girl." The Boss exclaimed as he pushed back strands of hair that was covering her face. "The Saints respect you and I do too. You've earned it and you deserve it. Sex or anything else won't change that." He rarely showed appreciation towards people, but when he does, he would absolutely mean it. That's what made it so endearing to others. "Hell, I'll probably respect you even more given your reputation," he added with a mischievous grin on his face.

Shaundi briefly blushed a little when Boss emphasized the word 'my.' He obviously didn't mean girlfriend or anything like it but she was flattered by how he finally verbally acknowledged that she was his main girl for the Saints. He did say it while they were free falling, but that doesn't really count.

"I promise that I'll let you punish and fuck me up during sex," he teased her.

"Let you? I'm not going to need your permission to do anything." Shaundi went along playfully to Boss' suggestion.

"Atta' girl. I don't go down without a fight."

It would be a lie to say that they weren't aroused by their banter even by a little bit. It didn't help that they were both attractive either. They enjoyed going back and forth like this ever since. However, neither of them tried to take it to the next level. They were satisfied with what they had.

"Thanks, this means a lot to me," Shaundi expressed gratitude towards him for praising and comforting her.

"Don't mention it." Boss responded with a quick gentle pat on the shoulder. "Like really don't, because I have a 'badass' reputation to maintain," he jokingly added.

"Whatever you say Boss." Shaundi rolled her eyes at him.

"Alright, get some sleep. We had one hell of a party and I wasn't expecting to have such a lengthy talk. I'm going to crash." Boss proceeded to walk towards the door. "Wait, we won't have a problem with you and Viola right?" He suddenly remembered to ask before touching the door knob.

"If it's a love triangle, then I'm guessing we'll be fighting the entire time. Doesn't seem to be any different now." Shaundi shrugged as he responded to his question.

"Don't be too hard on her. She lost someone too." The Boss gave her a quick nod before heading out the door.

"I know," Shaundi whispered to herself even if she knew the Boss was long gone to hear it. However, it was easier said than done. She sighed and took off her clothes until nothing but her underwear was left on. She put on an Ultor t-shirt that was lying on top of her drawer and dimmed the lights before heading to bed. Her final thoughts lingered on the conversation she had with Boss a few moments ago. It was still odd how the Boss chose the more passive route instead of their usual methods. "_Perhaps he didn't want to see any more of the Saints die under his watch after what happened with Johnny_?" She thought to herself. There were a lot of thoughts running in her head, but she fell asleep before she could get to them.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: I apologize for the long wait. I had to go back to the drawing board to organize all the scenes so the story would flow better. However, I'll be updating chapters a lot faster now!_

"So who is this director again?" Shaundi impatiently tapped the surface of the long mahogany table that was separating her from Viola and Pierce. They were inside a conference room waiting for the director to show up. The Boss wouldn't usually wait this long, but his mind was elsewhere. Pierce showed him the viral video of Kate Upton doing the Cat Daddy a few minutes ago. The Boss was convinced that it was art and it warranted replaying the video endlessly on his smartphone.

"The fool's name is Erik Belvaux," Pierce responded as he shuffled through the papers in front of him. It was obvious he didn't do his research.

"Great, another frenchie!" Shaundi lifted both her arms up in response.

"Belgian actually." Viola interrupted without looking at the woman opposite her. She was far too busy checking her nails.

"As if that ever made a difference."

"Play nice girls. Save that sexual tension for later" The Boss commented without lifting his eyes from the smartphone's screen. His face absent of any signs of a chuckle or smirk.

Viola took the comment in stride. Her row with Shaundi didn't really bother her anyway. She didn't have anything against the Saint. They also weren't friends to begin with, so it's not really a big deal if she was being ignored. She already lost her sister Kiki, losing the chance to be friends with Shaundi hardly concerned her.

On the other hand, Shaundi still had resentment towards Viola for her involvement in Johnny's death. She was also a bit jealous by how fast the Boss welcomed Viola into the Saints. While she knew that Viola is nowhere near her position, it made her feel a bit insecure seeing the former Syndicate ally rise up the Saint's ranks pretty quickly.

"Hallo" A man flamboyantly burst through the conference room's double doors with a pair of female assistants trailing him like attentive flies. The Saints quickly stood up and stared at this peculiar man. He was wearing a pink polo that was slightly left open to bare his waxed chest. It was conveniently tucked into his white pants. He had a muscular physique that looked like it had been generously tanned recently. His face has endured numerous cosmetic surgeries and little blonde hair is left on his head, so the lack of eyebrows is masked with make-up penciled on. This was their director- Erik Belvaux. "You must be the leader of the Saints I see," he approached the Boss and kissed him on both sides of the cheeks.

"Fuck you doin?" The Boss shoved him away.

"I do apologize Mr. Belvaux. The Boss isn't too knowledgeable of foreign customs. Please, forgive his ignorance." Viola quickly stepped in between them to defuse the situations. She was sure sure to step on Boss's foot to silently berate him. However, the Boss made his pain known with a slur of curse words whispered under his breath.

"Quite Alright, Ms. DeWynter. It's good to know that the leader of the Saints lives up to his machismo reputation." Erik composed himself as he straightened his polo, unfazed by the Boss' rudeness.

"Damn right," The Boss crossed his arms.

"Let's talk about the movie now, shall we?" Shaundi insisted and urged everyone to sit down.

"Indeed." Erik nodded and proceeded to talk about the film he was planning to make with the Saints. It was obvious that he was not your usual kind of filmmaker. He had unconventional and bizarre methods when it comes to the process. However, it was nothing the Boss and the Saints couldn't handle or so they thought.

"Your boys promised us the script today," Pierce suddenly remembered and interjected during the dialogue.

"Ah, well there is no script." Erik coyly smiled.

Shaundi raised one brow, perceiving this to be an indication that there was something wrong. Pierce was red-faced since he was embarrassed that he might have let the Boss down by agreeing to this deal. Viola didn't know what was going on, but she senses that Erik had something up his sleeve. She knew the he was an eccentric director, but that didn't equate to him being an unreliable one. They all looked at Boss waiting for an order or sign on what to do next. They were expecting him to storm out or shoot the motherfucker and his associates up. He wasn't known to be a patient man and he had no time for games.

The Boss' eyes met Shaundi's and it was enough for her to know exactly what he was going to do. Sometimes they didn't need to words to communicate. Whenever they were out on a job, The Boss and Shaundi could send signals to one another through exchanged glances. They were able to warn each other if one was entering a trap or if a contact was bluffing through a certain situation. It was a language only the two of them shared, but they never acknowledged it any way. It was just how the way things were. They were good together.

"Go on," the Boss indulged Erik and waited for the eccentric filmmaker to continue. He was slightly intrigued by what this man had to offer.

"I'm not like any other director. I want to capture real emotion and be spontaneous. No scripts and rehearsed scenes. It only constrains the creative mind. I give the cues and the cast deviates from there. Directors shouldn't be attentive parents. All they need to do is give a gentle push." Erik stood up and emphasized his vision with fevered passion. His eyes glowing with excitement and hands swaying with lively animation. "I am a purist," he finally finished.

The room was quiet for a moment after Erik's sudden impassioned monologue. "Cool, so I don't need to memorize lines?" That was the only thing the Boss seemed to pick up from what the filmmaker just said.

"That is correct."

"I get it, I get it. That's why you want them real people fucking in your movies." Pierce reacted as if he recently learned something that was so earth shattering.

"I would have used a better term, but yes 'fucking' as you people say." Erik rested his temple on the tips of y his fingers as he sighed.

"Fuck yeah, I was born for threesomes." The Boss had a smug on his face.

"Threesomes? There won't be any menage a trois in the movie." Erik sounded genuinely surprised as thet skin between his brows wrinkled. "You'll only be sleeping with her," he added, pointing his finger towards Shaundi.

"I thought Viola was in it?" There was a hint of disappointment in the Boss's voice. It was as if a boy just found out he could only have one toy instead of two. It stung Shaundi a bit, knowing that her rival's inclusion was something the Boss was excited about. Every man wanted to sleep with her and that was beyond enough for them. It made her wonder sometimes why the Boss never tried anything with her before. Was this insecurity or jealousy? It was a hard feeling for her to distinguish. Yet, she somehow felt relieved that she didn't have to do anything with sexual with Viola. She had no problem swinging towards different directions as long as they weren't one of the reasons one of her friends is dead. Even a hundred acting skills wouldn't make a difference in the world.

"She is in the film, but she is only the vixen that tries to steal you away from the one you love." Erik explained and looked at Shaundi and Boss. "Besides I'm feeling the chemistry more with you and your girlfriend."

The Boss choked on the water he was drinking and could not muster up an appropriate reaction in time. "Girlfriend? Noooo" Shaundi eyes widened upon hearing the last word out of Erik's mouth. Pierce let out a burst of laughter upon hearing the filmmaker's assumption. Viola shrugged as if she knew it wasn't an impossible thought.

"No? My apologies then. Body language would dictate otherwise, but I guess it can be wrong." Erik pointed out the way they seemed to gravitate towards one another. The occasional glances they shared to communicate to one another. The way their bodies seemed to subconsciously orient itself to face one another. There was something pulling them together. It was there even if the Boss and Shaundi knew about it or not. They quickly shifted their stance and faced towards the table as if they could undo the body language Erik had noticed.

"Let's move on, shall we?" The Boss insisted as he unnecessarily fixed his tie. He was clearly uncomfortable with the suggestion. Shandi was expecting some wise ass remark about them having sexual tension but it never came out of his mouth. He simply ignored it and urged the conversation to continue.

Discussions continued and they were able to finally talk about the schedule of production. They were going to start shooting the scenes as soon as possible. The Saints were still unsure of how making a movie without a script would work, but the Boss was up for it as long as it meant less work for him. By the end of it, they all shook hands and concluded the meeting. While the Boss found Belvaux to be rather odd, he admired the man's balls to do whatever the fuck he wanted. He knew what it was like to be a celebrity and there was always a lot of red tape involved. He never bothered paying attention to it. Maybe Belvaux shared some similarities to him. Even if that was so, he still wouldn't let the Belgian peck him on the cheek.

"You know, I always thought you and Shaundi sort of had a thing." Viola suggested as she and Boss stood in front of the film company's building waiting for Pierce and Shaundi to fetch the car.

"What? Like a fuck buddy?" Boss played along.

"Fuck buddy, girlfriend or whatever."

"Why? What does it matter?" Boss shook his head in confusion. He was kind of annoyed why people kept suggesting this idea the entire day. Sure, he's jacked off to the idea of having wild and meaningless with Shaundi but that's it. He never imagined her waking up beside him or holding hands. He enjoyed being the 'in and out' type of guy with all the women he's had relations with.

"Nothing. I didn't mean anything by it. Just a passing thought," Viola raised her hands up to honestly convey that it was merely a random idea. "You need to relax," she added. The Boss can definitely be a hot head at times. Add in Shaundi's bitching and that's a recipe for any headache. Viola has her catty moments, but she's definitely more laid back than Shaundi.

"I am relaxed."

"Sure, you are." Viola shot back, rolling her eyes.

Shaundi and Pierce finally came with the SUV to pick them up. The Boss and Viola started to descend the steps as they made their way towards the vehicle. Shaundi's gaze focused on the Boss and for a moment she pictured a number of 'what if' scenarios. Them in a relationship, going on dates, and being sweet with one another. "_Never_" she thought to herself. While Shaundi had countless relations with men, she wasn't as casual as the Boss with relationship. She went on dates with her exes and did a couple of normal things dating couples would do. It was just hard for her to find the right person she could really be with beyond her 'good times.'

She looked at the rearview window and met Boss's eyes through the reflection. He nodded and threw a smile back at her, satisfied with how the meeting went. Shaundi was ultimately happy with the outcome too. They didn't need to worry about having any financial troubles as long as long as everything goes according to plan.

She acknowledged him and they quickly returned to being preoccupied with their own thoughts on the way back to their stronghold. Things were going pretty well for them, but Shaundi felt that things were going to be a lot more complicated than they thought. Could this film be some sort of scheme or a distraction? She was always prepared for the worst. Initially, her only concern was fucking the Boss but she knew that he would stick to his word about not letting it change anything.

"_The Boss is the least of my concerns_"

Or so she thought.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: I'm writing the next chapter as I'm typing this. Hope you guys like this 'build up' chapter. I feel like I'm taking a risk with this chapter, but let me know what you think._

The next few months flew by in an instant. The Boss, Shaundi, and Viola were busy shooting their scenes in the movie. Pierce was able to convince Erik to give him a small role in the film. The director eventually gave in after Pierce wouldn't stop sending him demo reels from his Saints Flow commercials. Zimos was hovering around young female fans who were circling around the set. Oleg was there to make sure the Boss wouldn't do anything stupid that would get him caught up with statutory rape charges. He also had to deal with legions of guys trying to get a peep out of Shaundi. They were mostly scrawny, but their persistence can be annoying after several hopeless attempts. He was glad that Kinzie obliged to keep him company throughout the day. She had to have her laptop with her the entire time but Oleg hardly complained.

Despite Erik's eccentricities, the Saints surprisingly enjoyed themselves during shoots. He would mostly tell them an outline of how a scene should go, and he would pretty much give them the freedom to do their own interpretations. They had a lot of footage to work with. Sometimes they would just shoot different variations for one scene for over two days. There were times when they felt like they were being watched. Erik would try to shoot scenes on his own without them knowing. The Boss would see the Belgian hiding conspicuously behind small bushes with a camera in hand and Erik would defend himself saying that it was solely for 'art' whatever that means. The Boss would never tolerate anyone prying into his personal life, but Erik was far from a threat. Creating a poor excuse for a film is the only concept of harm the man knew.

"You called for me?" The Boss entered a brightly lit white room with a glass pane and control panel right in front of the doorway. It looked like recording studio, but felt more like an interrogation chamber. Erik was seated by the panel with two busy technicians on both his sides. He swiveled his chair to turn around and face the Boss.

"Indeed. We are about to shoot our next scene." Erik said with much enthusiasm in his voice. "Come, sit, and watch," he motioned the Boss to sit beside him in front of the glass panel. Seconds after the Boss obliged, lights flickered on the other side of the glass pane. He realized that the other side was the interior of a warehouse the studio barely touched.

It was nothing of interest until Shaundi entered the warehouse doors. She was walking around and looking at the old movie props that were set aside. She stood in front of the glass pane to look at her reflection and adjust her make-up. The only thing she could see was herself. She was oblivious to the fact that the Boss and Erik were on the other side.

"Woah." The Boss looked at her and casually waved to check if she could see him. It was a one way glass pane. "What are you up to Belvaux?" He turned to face the director.

"Just sit back and let the maestro show you what art is." Erik leaned back on his chair.

"_Why am I not surprised that everyone else is late?_" Shaundi thought to herself after gussying herself up in front of the mirror. She was told by one of the associates that there was a shoot scheduled at this warehouse and that she had to be there on time. "Well, here I am," she shrugged.

She thought she was alone until she heard the sound of glass cracking in the distance. Instinctively, she tapped her hand on the side of her hip but there was nothing there. "Shit," she muttered under her breath. She forgot to strap her 9mm while she was getting ready inside her trailer. The Saints didn't have any formidable enemies at the moment, but she always knew that it helped to stay on her guard especially after what happened with Johnny. "_Please, let this just be Birk stalking me,_" she hoped her lapse in memory wouldn't bite her in the ass. For once, it would be great to find out that it was just Birk following her around.

Another glass cracked. Shaundi surreptitiously made her way towards the sound. The cracks soon became more frequent, but she was getting closer. She crouched behind a massive stack of props. The culprit behind the sound was a few feet away from where she was. She leaned to the right to reach towards a piece of shattered glass as an alternative weapon. Without hesitation, she stood out of cover to surprise whoever was there. She stood dumbfounded upon realizing that it wasn't an assassin or some obsessed fan. It was only a squirrel and it was staring right back at her as if it was mortified. Shaundi laughed at herself and was kind of embarrassed she was about to stab an innocent little creature. "Thank God, no one else saw-," Shaundi sighed but she was interrupted when an object came in flying through the window. It was a flashbang. "Oh, shit," she muttered before running towards the other side of the warehouse to duck for cover.

She barely made it just in time to escape the flashbang's radius. She peeked outside her cover to check what was going on. Commonly dressed thugs entered through the window with shotguns and AK-47s. "What the fuck is going on?" Shaundi asked herself in disbelief before one of the thugs spotted her and started shooting. She immediately leapt away from her original position and started sprinting towards the door and away from the gunfire. The door was locked and there was no time to pick it open.

The Boss stood from his chair forcefully and was about to speak but Erik held up his hand to stop him. "Relax. Non-lethal rounds. All of those thugs are trained actors. They're not going to shoot directly at her, just around her. However, if she shoots any of them with the weapons we conveniently placed there… they will of course pretend to die," the director explained without looking at the Boss. He was too busy enjoying his 'masterpiece' with a glass of wine in one hand. "By now, you should be familiar with my methods. I wanted to capture Shaundi under pressure and see real fear and wrath boil out of her," he finished.

The Boss rolled his eyes and sat down. "You do know that Shaundi can kill all your actors with or without a gun," he crossed his arms as he turned to face the director. He could have stopped this ridiculousness, but he believed in Shaundi's capability and it won't hurt to let others see it for themselves.

"Which is why I made sure all the actors are equipped with the best safety gear," Erik casually took a nibble out of the cheese platter in front of him. "I also made them sign a waiver just in case she gets caught up in a violent frenzy," he added with a conniving smile on his face. It was evident that this man would do anything to achieve his vision.

"Well, pull this shit with me and you can bet on having all your actors stuck in the emergency room," the Boss shot back before continuing to watch the spectacle Erik orchestrated. He noticed that the technicians in the room were watching the entire thing unfold in different panels. There must be a hundred cameras hidden inside the warehouse. The firefight must have disabled five or more.

"I can deal with that. If filmmaking was easy, then it wouldn't be so exciting no?" Erik replied before taking a sip of his wine. They both turned their attention towards the faux ambush to catch up on what was going on.

Shaundi managed to snag a shotgun that she found lying on the floor. She gunned most of them down with ease. It surprised her how none of them were able to hit her. The interiors of the warehouse didn't have a lot of items to use as cover. She was expecting to get grazed by a bullet at least considering the waves of thugs raining down on her. She shouldn't be complaining about her luck, but she always loved a challenge. Shaundi continued firing at them until the shooting stopped. It looked like she got all of them, but she kept her shotgun raised just in case there were more surprises. The lights in the warehouse dimmed. Shaundi couldn't see anything through the pitch darkness.

A spotlight lit up in one area of the warehouse. A man wearing a ski mask stood under it with an automatic weapon in his hand. Shaundi swiftly aimed her shotgun towards the man and fired. The man immediately stepped aside and kept a distance. "You've killed me once. Now, you want to do it again?" The man asked as his voice echoed around the warehouse like it was being amplified through speakers.

"This is seriously some fucked up shit. What do you want from me? Who are you?" Shaundi aimed her weapon at him, trying to get some answers before shooting him.

"It's me. Johnny," the man took off his mask and it revealed a familiar yet haunting face. It was Johnny Gat. "You left me to die on that plane. I died because of you," he raised his voice as he spoke with spite.

Shaundi's eyes widened and dropped her weapon. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. He was dead. This couldn't be real, but he was right in front of her. Her mind was telling her that this was a trick, but her heart was quickly filled with grief, guilt, and anguish. "I wanted to go back, but-" her voice started to crack. Suddenly, numerous figures of Johnny under small beams of light appeared around the warehouse. "It's your fault," they all said in unison.

This was too much for Shaundi. She pressed her palms on her ears, trying to make it all go away. "Stop, please. I didn't mean to." she begged helplessly. This wasn't real, it was a nightmare.

"I knew you were just some girl with dreadlocks," The first Johnny Gat figure taunted her. There was hate and bitterness in his eyes and it absolutely crushed Shaundi.

On the other side of the glass pane, The Boss's fury was well past his limit. "Stop this right now," he coldly ordered Erik.

"But, this is the best part! Shaundi in her darkest moments. Real fear, guilt, and emotion," Erik proudly refused.

In an instant, the Boss pulled out a pistol that was lodged on the side of his hip. He fired the gun directly at one of Erik's Cesar award figurine and pressed its mouth on Erik's forehead as he held him down. The tip was still warm from the burst and it burned through the director's skin. "Stop this right now, or this burn will be the least of your worries," The Boss pushed the pistol even deeper.

"Alright, alright. Just let me go," Erik finally relented and ordered the technicians in the room to cease the theatrics. They hastily carried it out out of fear of rousing the Boss' wrath.

"Cut," Shaundi heard an amplified voice reverberate around the warehouse followed by a loud ringing bell. The numerous holograms of Johnny dissipated in thin air. The lights came back on and the thugs she gunned down stood up and walked away. She turned to her right and she saw Erik and The Boss on the opposite side of the glass pane. The latter was still pushing his pistol on the director's head. Somehow, disabling the theatrics made the pane visible on both sides. There were tears in her eyes. The Boss didn't know how to react in front of her. There was pity lurking in his gaze. Shaundi could see it in his eyes and her anguish turned into embarrassment. She was a wreck and that was a side of her she didn't want anyone to see especially the Boss. Before both of them could react, she hastily made her way towards the exit.

The Boss pulled his pistol away and grabbed his coat on his way out. "Try that shit again and we are done," he added before twisting the doorknob. He was cool with all of other Erik's stunts, but this one crossed the line. He wasn't even thinking about the repercussions of losing this movie deal. It didn't matter to him. The only thing on his mind right now was Shaundi. He would usually let her deal with her own problems, but this time felt different. He saw the pain and guilt over Johnny's death slowly carve itself on her face. He thought that she had already moved on from his death. Clearly, he was wrong. She tried to hide all the lingering emotions in an attempt to mask her vulnerabilities. He can't help but feel responsible for it. The Saints were his family and he should have helped Shaundi out with whatever she was going through. "Dick," he called himself as he shoved through a crowd of suits.

He was nearing the exit at the end of the hallway. He could see Shaundi entering her car that was parked on the driveway. His footsteps quickened, but he was too late. The car drove off as soon as he pushed the glass door open.

"Damn," The Boss held his knees to catch his breath. Oleg approached him from behind with a confused look on his face. "Who pissed her off again?" He shook his head.

"Don't get me started," The Boss finally caught up his breathing and stood up to face Oleg. "Did she say where she was going?" He asked.

"Nyet," Oleg shook his head to give a simple reply. "Kinzie can track her using her computers," he suggested.

"There's no need. I think I know where I can find her," The Boss entered his vehicle and ignited the engine.

"Where?"

"Stillwater," The Boss said through the window of his car before driving away. He could have been wrong, but he had a strong feeling in his gut that he would find Shaundi there. Right where it all began.


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Wow, this is the longest chapter so far! Thanks to everyone for reading and being supportive so far. Of course, let me know what you think. Feedback only makes it better!_

It felt like it was almost yesterday the Boss and Johnny cleared this hotel out and established the Purgatory as their base of operations. The Boss stood in front of their hideout as memories flooded through his head. It reminded him of who they really were before they were international celebrities. He shifted his head to the left and noticed Shaundi's car parked just like he predicted. However, it was strange to notice that it was the only car there. He expected some of the Saints to be around.

"Shit, it's the Boss," a young man in his early twenties approached the Boss. He was a Saint judging by his all-purple attire. "Man, I've heard a lot of stories about you. It's an honor," the young man added with enthusiasm.

"Kid, where is everyone?"

"Oh, well Shaundi drove in and she wanted the place all to herself for the night. No one could say no to her. She looked upset. Is there anything wrong?" The kid eagerly inquired.

"It's none of your business," the Boss snapped.

"Right, sorry Boss," the kid was genuinely apologetic in his tone.

"It's fine. Just keep some guys close by will you? I don't want to be jumped or interrupted by some small time thugs," the Boss walked towards the hideout's entrance.

"Will do, Boss."

"Oh and kid, buy something nice for yourself," the Boss turned around and tossed him a roll of dollar bills. The boy was wearing common thug clothes. The Saints were far from being small time gang. They were in the big leagues, so it only made sense that they dressed the part too. He figured that he should cut this kid some slack. He remembered who he was before Julius saved him. He was also just some naive kid who wanted to make his mark in the world. He only had rags from thrift shops before he had custom tailored suits.

He made his way down the staircase, right past the Saint of all Saints statue. Shaundi was sitting by the bar. Her head resting on the palm of her hand as her elbow touched the bar's surface. "Go away," she said without turning around.

"Who says I went here for you?" The Boss walked towards the other side of the bar and shuffled through the bottles of alcohol. Shaundi didn't respond. She wouldn't even roll her eyes or snap back at him. He took a deep breath and snatched a bottle of Patron under the bar. He got two shot glasses and poured tequila into both. "Let's take one for the road, and let's go back to Steelport hm?" He suggested.

"How do you do it?" Shaundi took a shot of tequila with him.

"Do what?"

"Not care or feel so casual about everything."

"What? Do you want me to cry like a pussy about my feelings?"

"You know what? Fuck you," Shaundi stood up from where she sat. She was visibly annoyed by the Boss's lack of seriousness. "Did you seriously just drive all the way here for this bullshit?" She snapped, not expecting an answer as she prepared to walk away.

"You know Goddamn well that you wouldn't be standing here right now if I didn't care," the Boss slammed his palm on the bar's surface. It was the first time he verbally acknowledged what happened. There was enough force in his tone to make Shaundi stop on her tracks. "We all have our own ways to deal with our shit. Just because I don't grieve like you do, doesn't mean that I don't feel anything at all," he massaged his temple with his fingertips.

"I'm sorry. That was out of line," Shaundi turned around and walked back towards the bar. She knew that the Boss cared because he showed it countless of times. He was never really good at talking about it though. Yet, she would always accuse him of otherwise. Often times, it was a way for her to bait the Boss into revealing a more human side of him. She might be his closest associate, but no one knew who their leader was before he joined the Saints. Sometimes he would say something about his college years or give clues about his troubled upbringing but that was it. He was an enigma that intrigued everyone. He was an iconic leader that a lot of people admired, envied, and followed. He kept everyone at arm's length including the people in his inner circle. Johnny didn't know the Boss before the Saints, but he knew him during the early days. Perhaps, he was the only connection the Boss had to his past life.

"If anyone has blood on their hands, it's me. Ask Carlos." The Boss poured himself some bourbon whiskey in an old fashioned glass. He couldn't look at Shaundi straight in the eye. It was guilt that was silently eating him away. Carlos was like a younger brother to him. He was eager to groom him into becoming a tough son of a bitch. The Boss was also grateful for his efforts to help him escape prison. "I shouldn't have included him in our dealings with the Brotherhood. Should have made him work the small time jobs first," the Boss drowned the whiskey down his throat as he remembered looking at Carlos' disfigured face one last time before shooting him.

"Hey, it's not your fault. The Brotherhood would have come after someone else instead," Shaundi extended her arm and lightly touched the Boss's hand. She didn't know why she reached out to touch the Boss' hand like that. Perhaps, it was because they experienced the same kind of pain and guilt. She imagined what it would be like if the Brotherhood had gotten to her instead of Carlos. It drove chills down her spine. She was lucky that Veteran Child didn't have the balls to do something as horrific as dragging her face down with a speeding car.

"I've dealt with his and Gat's death the same way I've always done even as a kid. I mourn and grieve through rage," The Boss looked down at Shaundi's hand before slowly pulling away and leaning back on the counter behind him. "Shoot as many motherfuckers I can and fuck them up. The more they suffer the better," he added as fury enflamed his pupils. "The best way to deal with this fucked up world is to shut off all kinds of emotions. If people think you're heartless, they won't try to hurt you."

"You don't have to do that with me," Shaundi's gaze weighed heavily on him, imploring him to meet hers. Other people would have been disturbed by how the Boss' copes with loss and grief, but all she saw was a man hurt by his troubled past. He was a cold blooded killer, but his victims were hardly innocent.

She looked at his arm and noticed that he had scars that were as old as him. It looked like he was fighting his whole life just to survive. Shutting himself off definitely helped him intimidate his foes, but it also walled him off from those close to him.

The Boss looked up at Shaundi and a small smile crept on his face. He could sense her genuine concern through her voice and facial expressions. "Anyway, shouldn't I be the one making you feel better?" The Boss broke the silence that enveloped the space between them. He felt like he revealed too much of himself to her.

"Well, it feels much better to talk to a friend who knows what I'm going through," Shaundi replied as she poured herself another shot of tequila. She didn't need to be told that it wasn't her fault. She was smart enough to know that it was all the Syndicate's doing, but she has her share of 'what ifs' or 'I should haves' just like the Boss. She just needed someone who would understand. The truth is, the Boss was the only who could. He was on the plane and went through the same thing with Carlos. Part of her grief was going through it alone. She felt some of the burden being lifted off her shoulders when the Boss opened a bit of himself up to her. That would never erase the guilt or the pain, but it made things easier to bear. "I know Johnny would never say those things, but it just hurts every time. It's like opening an old wound all over again."

"I'll be honest with you. It'll never go away," the Boss leaned forward across the bar separating him and Shaundi. His words slightly disappointed Shaundi. It wasn't exactly the best type of advice. "It'll get better in time. It's up to you if you're going to let it drive you down a destructive path or push you into becoming someone stronger," the Boss added much to Shaundi's surprise. "If you let it control you, then the Syndicate won. From time to time, I still feel the guilt over Carlos and Gat's death. That's okay, it's unavoidable but I make damn sure their sacrifice doesn't go to waste by living each day like it's my bitch," he finished.

Shaundi couldn't help but let out a laugh. It was hard not to. In a span of three minutes, she felt disappointment, inspired, and humorous by what the Boss said.

"You roll your eyes at my jokes, but you laugh when I'm actually trying to be serious?" The Boss shrugged his shoulders at Shaundi's reaction. He smiled afterwards knowing that he was able to cheer her up at least. "You good?" He asked.

"Yeah, definitely. You really didn't have to do this, but you did anyway. Thanks." She appreciated his efforts. He drove all the way from Steelport to Stillwater when he could have just called her up instead.

"I still have to whoop Erik's ass," the Boss grinned mischievously.

"You've done enough. Besides, I think I deserve to beat the shit out of that Frenchie too."

"By all means," the Boss said as he tapped Shaundi's shoulder. "You know, I can tell him to shove the film up his Belgian ass. We can do something else," he suggested with a hint of sincerity in his voice.

"You don't have to worry about me. I was just caught off guard. Plus, I don't think there's anything else he can throw at me after that shit he pulled,"

"Are you sure?" The Boss searched her eyes for meaning as he tried to sense if she truly meant what she said.

"You bet," Shaundi nodded in response. If the Boss hadn't come here, she might have been singing a different tune. She was a complete wreck a few hours ago with no one to help her up. All she needed was someone to make her feel like she wasn't alone. Despite her uplifted spirit, she was still pissed off at Erik for exploiting her grief but there were far worse things people could do to her.

The Boss was satisfied with her answer. However, he was slightly disappointed by the fact that he might have save the revenge schemes he had in his head for another time. Erik wouldn't try anything similar anytime soon. He remembered how the director's legs trembled and how he noticed a wet patch on the man's pants. The Boss definitely made himself clear to the Belgian. He mentally patted himself on the back for effectively scaring the shit out of a grown man yet again. He then poured tequila into the two shot glasses in front of him. He pushed one towards Shaundi and raised the other. "For Johnny, Carlos, Lin, Aisha, and everyone else we've lost along the way," he offered as a toast.

"Here, here," Shaundi lifted her glass before drinking her dose of tequila with the Boss. They both shared a quiet moment afterwards. Both of them reflecting on their fallen comrades and where they were now.

In the next hours, they finished a bottle or two of alcohol together. They reminisced on the memories they had while they were still based in the Purgatory. They shared some laughs especially when the Boss found one of Shaundi's cracked light bulbs lying around. They exchanged stories about their times in Stillwater University. It was a much needed break from everything else. Shaundi was glad to know the Boss more as a person. Over the past few months, he became someone she could reach out and talk to. He didn't afford others the same luxury. The Boss was very outgoing and extravagant, but he was a private man at the end of the day. People especially celebrities, corporate bigwigs, and politicians think they know him and call him a friend but no one really knew who he really was… not even her. Still, it was enough for her to know that the Boss trusted her enough to give her a glimpse of who he really was.

The Boss found an unexpected friend in Shaundi. Most of the women in his life never really had a lasting impression on him. You can count his mother out of the picture. Aside from her, his relationship with them were always either purely sexual or professional. He respected Shaundi as an associate, he was sexually attracted to her like any other man, and he trusted her with some of the more private aspects of his life. Their relationship was tough to define. He was reluctant to tell her all these things about him, but he was drawn to how accepting she was of him so far. Growing up, he was always being judged and others exploited his weaknesses. Shaundi always knew him as a tough motherfucker who got things done. She feared him when she questioned his orders. No one would screw with him unless they had a death wish. The weird thing was he didn't want her to fear him anymore. It irked him when she started to stand her own ground, but it also made him respect her even more. He always thought that maintaining his ruthless attitude was essential in maintaining her respect for him. However, she seemed to be more receptive to him recently when he would a show his softer side. He slowly opened himself up to her bit by bit as if he was slowly dipping his feet to test the waters. Did he even want to jump in? That's a question that often crossed his mind for quite some time now.

By the time they drank the last drop, Shaundi was having trouble standing by herself. She was holding on to the bar for support. She almost toppled over if Boss hadn't rushed over to the other side to catch her. He was going to carry her to the bedroom on the second floor, but he had too much to drink as well. The couch would have to do or else he would risk a trip to the emergency room for the both of them.

"Steady, steady," the Boss cautioned as he carefully tried to help her land on the couch. Shaundi let go of his grasp, but she couldn't maintain her balance long enough. She was about to topple over until she instinctively grabbed the Boss' polo shirt in panic. He didn't expect it to happen, so he ended up being dragged down as Shaundi lost her balance. Luckily, they fell on the couch but in a position that left both of them in a desirable yet awkward position. The Boss was on top of Shaundi, and their faces were inches away from one another. The scent of her perfume drove him crazy. Any man in his position right now would take advantage of the situation and fuck Shaundi right then and there. Yet, he didn't move a muscle. He was trying to gauge what her reaction was. She neither pushed him away nor leaned in to kiss him. It was as if they were both trying to figure out what this moment meant for them.

Shaundi held up her hand and gently caressed the Boss' cheek with her fingertips. The Boss leaned his face towards her touch. She traced the outline of his beard and goatee. She knew what she wanted to do, but she was afraid to make the first move. It's funny how she was so passionate about not sleeping with the Boss months before, and now it didn't feel like such a bad idea. Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted when the Boss tilted his head closer. Shaundi didn't have time to think about what she should do. Yet, her body already knew what she wanted as she parted her lips open for him.

He kissed her, but not in the place she was expecting him to. As he leaned in to close the gap, he moved upwards to kiss her forehead before tilting his body to her right side. Shaundi was disappointed and intrigued at the same time. The Boss wasn't known for having any self-restraint. She didn't know if this was a good or a bad thing. There was still silence between them. She was afraid of ruining this moment if she tried to say something. Shaundi moved in to rest her head on top of the Boss' chest. He didn't object. In fact, he even stretched his limb out to gently stroke Shaundi's arm.

The Boss had too much thoughts running through his mind to speak. If it was any other girl, he would have kissed her, ripped the panties off her pussy, and have wild sex with her. He didn't and it was something that bothered him. He wanted to fuck her, but his mind was telling him 'not like this' and 'not yet.' The concept of waiting for an appropriate setting and time was foreign to him. He was bold enough to fuck a woman crazy in bathroom stalls or get head under a table while talking to some politicians. He wanted to push her away and sort all of this out alone, but it was hard for him to let go of her. Despite his confusion, there was no doubt that he felt good having her so close to him. With the effects of alcohol beginning to throb his head, he decided to postpone his thoughts for the morning. He closed his eyes, and left his hand on Shaundi's arm.

Shaundi noticed the Boss fell asleep when he stopped stroking her arm. Like him, there were a ton of questions that plagued her mind. She wondered if something would come out of this or if it will just be something he'll conveniently forget. There was no torrid kiss or passionate sex, but the moment they shared truly meant something to the both of them. She bit her lip at the thought of possibly having a relationship with him. She wouldn't even know where to begin and she figured the Boss wouldn't either. She thought she had seen every type of man out there, but the Boss proved her wrong. She was sure that he was going to lean in for the kiss and fuck her crazy. Instead, he leaned on her touch, kissed her forehead, and gently stroked her arm. As much as she was disappointed by his restraint, it only intrigued her more and increased the appeal he had on her. Yet, she was still conflicted about everything else. She already had a good rapport with the Boss and that was something she didn't want to ruin. Right now though, nothing else mattered. She tried her best to fight the weight on her eyelids that were forcing her to sleep. Somehow, she wished time moved slower.

After a few minutes, she surrendered to the alcohol and the fatigue plaguing her body as she fell asleep. The rhythmic breathing of the Boss' chest lulled her to sleep and the warmth of her body kept him comfortable throughout the chilly night. Despite their reservations of what just happened, it was clear that this was something they both wanted. The only question that remains is how bad they wanted it to make it work? They were satisfied with waiting until tomorrow to figure out the answer to that. For now, they had this moment and it was enough for them.


End file.
